The ‘Basies’ takes place May 18th; Arts Impact Scholarships winners to be recognized and Basie’s Education Director to receive Lifetime Achievement Award
PHOTO: Scene from 2015 Basie Awards performance.
RED BANK, NJ – Nominees have been announced for the 11th annual BASIE AWARDS, honoring excellence in high school theatre in Monmouth County. This year’s ceremony takes place on Wednesday, May 18th at the Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank.
The BASIES began in 2005 as a way to honor and recognize high school-level actors, actresses and productions in the Monmouth County area. Twenty-one dramas and 28 musical performances were evaluated by the Basie Awards nomination committee, which produced nominations for students, productions and schools in various acting and production categories. A complete list of nominees is located at the end of this release.
“For the eleventh straight year, we’re honored to host The Basie Awards and recognize excellence in Monmouth County high school dramas and musicals,” said Count Basie Theatre President and CEO Adam Philipson. “The theater community in Monmouth County encompasses some of the most supportive and talented people we know, and the quality of work that comes from our schools deserves regional recognition. This is truly one of our favorite nights of the year.”
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In addition to recognizing high school talent, the BASIES’ Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Yvonne Lamb-Scudiery, director of the Count Basie Theatre’s Education department and founder of its Performing Arts Academy. This honor is presented to individuals who have dedicated their lives to making art happen and art that matters in our community.
Additionally, winners of the Count Basie Theatre’s Arts Impacts Scholarships will be recognized at THE BASIES: Paulina Homiak (Middletown High School South – Siciliano Landscape Company Arts Impact Scholarship); Jacob Wahba (Ranney School – Moser Taboada Arts Impact Scholarship); Shannon Corsi (Rumson-Fair Haven High School – Monmouth Medical Center – Barnabas Health Arts Impact Scholarship); Cassi Zappala (Middletown High School North – Monmouth County Freeholders Basie Scholarship for Continuing Education). The Basie’s Arts Impact scholarship program recognizes high school seniors whose life, academic, and career choice has been impacted by the arts.
PHOTO: Scene from 2015 Basie Awards performance.
For the fourth consecutive year, the BASIE AWARDS are sponsored by Barnabas Health-Monmouth Medical Center, a partnership that promotes awareness of the importance of the arts in physical and mental well-being.
NOMINEES FOR THE 11TH ANNUAL BASIE AWARDS:
Nominees for Musical Presentations
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Stephen Kazakoff & Colleen Greberis
Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Alexis Kozak
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Tom Martini & Ashley Cusak
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man– Scott Naef
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School – Bonnie and Clyde – Matthew Leddin
Long Branch High School – Peter Pan – Andrew D’Agostino
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Robert Rutt
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Anthony Calicchio
Marlboro High School – Aida – Jim Lyle & Anthony Greco
Mater Dei Prep – The Little Mermaid – Scott Goldstein
Long Branch High School – Peter Pan – Damien Gigantello
Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Jacquie Revier
Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Jacqui Fischer & Laura Mazza
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Jacquie Revier, Donna Sology-Gigante, Joanne DeLuca-Daly
Mater Dei Prep – The Little Mermaid – Donna Sology-Gigante & Joanne DeLuca-Daly
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Linda Fitzgerald, Dona Coffey & Bobbie Sweger
Outstanding Musical Direction
Marlboro High School – Aida – Patrick M. Dalton
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Dr. Jeff Unger
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Shawn Mack
Monmouth Regional High School – Footloose – Christopher Sabol
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Regina McAllen
Outstanding Choreography
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Lisa Twamley
Matawan Regional High School – Footloose – Julie McKurth
Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Jacqui Fischer
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Rachel Wasser
Monmouth Regional – Footloose – Michael Penna
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Tara Eccles-Frye
Outstanding Small Pit Ensemble
Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Emily Kaster
Keansburg High School – Seussical – Katy Sarlo
Christian Brothers Academy – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Karen Gold
Mater Dei Prep – You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown – Cindy J. Dwyer
Outstanding All Student Orchestra
Marlboro High School – Aida – Patrick M. Dalton
Freehold High School – Into the Woods – Eric Gross
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Anthony Limaldi
Freehold Township High School – Bring It On – Edward Gattsek
High Technology High School – Urinetown – Aaron Cheng
Outstanding Student/Adult Orchestra
Manalapan High School – Cinderella – Jose Maunez
Ranney School – Carousel – Dr. Dorothy Sobieski & John Propper
Henry Hudson Regional High School – Shrek – Jeffrey Starr
Long Branch High School – Peter Pan – Robert M. Clark
Matawan Regional High School – Footloose – Lindsey Lorefice
Ocean Township High School – Pippin – Kyle Titmas
Outstanding Chorus
Marlboro High School – Aida
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid
Matawan Regional High School – Footloose
Middletown High School South – American Idiot
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man
Outstanding Featured Ensemble Group
Saint John Vianney High School – Grease – The Pink Ladies
Long Branch High School – Peter Pan – Indians
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – The Mersisters
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Flotsam and Jetsam
Outstanding Featured Ensemble Performer
Matthew Harrison – Matawan Regional High School – Footloose
Shelby Lapierre – Saint John Vianney High School – Grease
Ed Nowak – Christian Brothers Academy – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Abigail Schories – Saint John Vianney High School – Grease
Taylor Zenner – Ranney School – Carousel
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Olivia Rescigno – Shore Regional High School – The Music Man
Grace Henning – Keyport High School – The Little Mermaid
Paulina Homiak – Middletown High School South – American Idiot
Alysa Finnegan – Mater Dei Prep – You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown
Melissa Calicchio – Matawan Regional High School – Footloose
Lara Atry – Marlboro High School – Aida
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Griffin Cole – Mater Dei Prep – The Little Mermaid
Jack Andrus – Ocean Township High School – Pippin
Rick Altenberg – Mater Dei Prep – The Little Mermaid
Carl Muhler – Freehold High School – Into the Woods
Regene Odon – Monmouth Regional High School – Song for a New World
Carmine Mastrokostas – Ranney School – Carousel
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Alysa Finnegan – Mater Dei Prep – The Little Mermaid
Tessa Payer – Ranney School – Carousel
Laura Diorio – Middletown High School South – American Idiot
Evan Schultz – Ranney School – Carousel
Natasha Williams – Keansburg High School – Seussical
Kate Mazza – Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Hudson Eder – Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can
Lucas DeGirolamo – Ocean Township High School – Pippin
Aiden Benavides – Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can
Quinn Surdez – Matawan Regional High School – Footloose
Regene Odon – Monmouth Regional High School – Footloose
Luke Pearlberg – Red Bank Regional High School – Fiddler on the Roof
Outstanding Direction in a Musical
Marlboro High School – Aida – Anthony Greco
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Stephen Kazakoff
Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Alexis Kozak
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Keith Gissubel
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Todd Aikens
Outstanding Production – Musical
Marlboro High School – Aida – Anthony Greco
Howell High School – Catch Me If You Can – Stephen Kazakoff
Middletown High School South – American Idiot – Alexis Kozak
Red Bank Catholic High School – The Little Mermaid – Keith Gissubel
Shore Regional High School – The Music Man – Todd Aikens
Monmouth Regional High School – Footloose – Michael Penna
Nominees for Dramatic Presentations
Outstanding Set Design in a Drama
Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank – Alexis Kozak & Marisa Colvin
Marlboro High School – Rumors – Anthony Greco & Jack Pensabene
Colts Neck High School – A Family Reunion to Die For – Alexa Koch
Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang – Robert Rutt, Carla Valentino & Ashley Houck
Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers – Colleen Greberis
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Drama
Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang – Robert Rutt
Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank – DJ Hager
Saint John Vianney – John Lennon and Me – Rachel Ryan, Emily Olsen, & Max Foley
Red Bank Regional High School – Amadeus – Matt Suszka & Francis Hankins
Marlboro High School – Rumors –Jim Lyle & Anthony Greco
Carole Malik Award for Outstanding Costume Design in a Drama
Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers – Jaquie Revier
Ocean Township High School – Brighton Beach Memoirs – Alma Garrity & Laurie Smith
Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank – Jacqui Fischer & Laura Mazza
Ranney School – The Plough and the Stars – John Doyle
Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang – Cheryl Thompson
Red Bank Regional High School – Amadeus – Mary Kokie McHaugher
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
Leigh Forsyth – Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School – The Faerie King’s Daughter
Devlin Stark – Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang
Paulina Homiak – Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank
Jenny Greener – Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School – The Faerie King’s Daughter
Brooke Salamone – Freehold Township High School – You Can’t Take It With You
Samantha Siriani – Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama
Rick Altenburg – Mater Dei Prep – Perfect Meetings
Lucas DeGirolamo – Ocean Township High School – Brighton Beach Memoirs
Sean Molicki – Mater Dei Prep – Perfect Meetings
Josh Cooperman – Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers
Hudson Eder – Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers
Jack Andrus – Ocean Township High School – Brighton Beach Memoirs
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama
Carly Shepherd – Saint John Vianney – John Lennon and Me
Leah Sandow – Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers
Laura Diorio – Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank
Holly Koerwer – Trinity Hall – Suite Surrender
Lauren Mazzara – Marlboro High School – Rumors
Sophia Geisser – Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama
Matt Hughes – Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School – The Faerie King’s Daughter
Karl Brand – Ranney School – The Plough and the Stars
Patrick Monaghan – Red Bank Regional High School – Amadeus
Quinn Surdez – Matawan Regional High School – Harvey
Jonathan Slovak – Communications High School – Twelve
Outstanding Direction in a Drama
Anthony Greco – Marlboro High School – Rumors
Reuben Jackson – Red Bank Regional High School – Amadeus
Keith Gissubel – Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang
Cindy Dwyer & Gary Powell – Mater Dei Prep – Perfect Meetings
Steven Koumoulis – Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank
Outstanding Production – Drama
Marlboro High School – Rumors – Anthony Greco
Howell High School – Lost in Yonkers – Stephen Kazakoff
Middletown High School South – The Diary of Anne Frank – Steven Koumoulis
Red Bank Catholic High School – A Night of Christopher Durang – Keith Gissubel
Red Bank Regional High School – Amadeus – Reuben Jackson
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